Candy gooseberry: characteristics, features of cultivation and propagation

Candy gooseberry - this variety of gooseberry is new and has a high level of resistance to drought, cold and adverse weather conditions. The Candy gooseberry variety was officially registered in two thousand and eight. With proper care, this shrub can produce about six kilograms of fruit annually. It is recommended to grow the Candy gooseberry variety in Western and Eastern Siberia.

Candy gooseberry: photo of variety

Immediately before purchasing this shrub for further cultivation on your dacha, suburban or personal plot, you need to find out its characteristics. The gooseberry variety shrub Candy belongs to the group of plants with ordinary growth; the shoots grow straight and dense. Brown buds form on the branches. It is impossible to say that the shrub does not have thorns, because a small number of thorns are located at the base of the plant.

Characteristics, description

The candy tree has a not too voluminous bush and straight, vertically directed branches. Thanks to this structure, the fruit bush can be grown without additional support or garter. The bush is covered with grey-brown smooth bark; on old branches the covering may become fragmented and rough.

The leaves are small, green, without gloss. The peculiarity of Candy is that the variety has thorns only in the lower part of the bush, where berries are not formed. This makes the plant convenient for harvesting and seasonal care.

Reviews

Irina: They imprisoned me for the first time. We were eagerly awaiting the first fruits of this late variety. They tasted sweet and sour to me. The berries seem to have microscopic hairs; the skin is not smooth. I didn’t get any sores or insects on myself during the whole season, which our whole family was incredibly happy about, which saved us time on vacation at the dacha. Buy it, try it.

Valentina: We are big gooseberry fans. We even eat it while it’s still green. And at the end of the harvest we make jam from it. I try to take proper care of him. I add a spoonful of potassium salt to the soil. I don't spray anything. For the second year now, “candy” has consistently maintained immunity to all pests and diseases. I collect 5 kg of sweet berries from it. I spin them into compotes. How nice it is to remember him in winter while drinking a glass of this natural drink.

Advantages and disadvantages

Growing Candy gooseberries has many advantages, such as: excellent taste, abundant annual harvest, absence of thorns on the branches, and the ability to grow without a garter.

The main disadvantages inherent in the variety include the tendency to be affected by powdery mildew. A gardener can successfully combat this disease by using fungicides and anti-aging pruning of the bush.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

This gooseberry variety has good frost resistance and is grown without shelter in almost any climate. Also, the bush can withstand long-term droughts without damage to the roots and above-ground parts. But the gardener needs to keep in mind that the lack of moisture negatively affects the formation and quality of the crop.

Productivity and fruiting

The round-oval, slightly pubescent berries of Candy are large and medium in size (3–6 g). When unripe, the fruits are colored green; gradually, as they ripen, the berries acquire a dark pink color. The taste of the fruit is very sweet, which is reflected in the name of the variety.

Did you know? The result of crossing varietal currants and sweet gooseberries is a shrub called yoshta. From the first parent the hybrid took the black color of the berry and the absence of thorns on the branches; from the second ancestor it received the size and shape of the berry.

The bush is productive, depending on the age of the gooseberry and growing conditions, you can get from 2 to 6 kg of berries from one plant. When grown in southern regions, Candy fruits begin to ripen by the end of July; in colder climates, harvesting takes place in August.

Candy gooseberry

Candy gooseberry - this variety of gooseberry is new and has a high level of resistance to drought, cold and adverse weather conditions. The candy gooseberry variety was officially registered in two thousand and eight. With proper care, this shrub can produce about six kilograms of fruit annually. It is recommended to grow the Candy gooseberry variety in Western and Eastern Siberia.

Immediately before purchasing this shrub for further cultivation on your dacha, suburban or personal plot, you need to find out its characteristics. This fruit-bearing shrub belongs to the group of plants with ordinary growth; the shoots grow straight and dense. Brown buds form on the branches. It is impossible to say that the shrub does not have thorns, because a small number of thorns are located at the base of the plant.

Landing

If the plant is planted correctly, the berry harvest will be abundant and fruiting will be annual. In this case, it is necessary to take into account such important parameters as the location of the bush, healthy seedling material, and compliance with the planting scheme.

Deadlines

Gooseberries can be planted in spring and autumn, but autumn planting is optimal, the date of which can be chosen arbitrarily, from the second half of October to early November. Planting at this time gives the plant a better chance of adaptation and root regeneration.

Also in autumn, the soil is quite moist and there is no heat, and such weather is favorable for transplanting and rooting of shrubs. Bushes planted in autumn have sufficient growth vigor.

Spring planting should be carried out as early as possible, before the plants enter the growing season (before buds open). To perform this activity, you should choose cool and cloudy days.

Also find out what can be planted next to gooseberries and the features of the neighborhood.

Choosing a suitable location

Gooseberries usually bear fruit for 10–15 years. To establish a plantation, choose flat or slightly raised areas of soil. It is undesirable to grow the crop in valleys where cold air accumulates; in this case, the bushes are easily exposed to frost.

The depth of the groundwater level at the planting site should be from 70 to 100 cm. The crop does not require particularly fertile soil; the plant grows well on clay and sandy substrates with a pH of 6.2–6.7.

An important condition that you should pay attention to when planning to grow gooseberries is the direction of the prevailing winds. Too much wind can cause the fruit to drop prematurely or the plant to freeze. For proper growth and development, the shrub requires full and regular watering.

Read more

Soil acidity for planting gooseberries After choosing a place for planting, it is time to prepare the land for cultivation. If the soil is too acidic or alkaline, it is necessary to liming and bring the pH to the desired value (6.2–6.7).

The area should also be cleared of weeds, which is facilitated by pre-planting root crops or pumpkin plants. Cultivation of these crops will lead not only to clearing the beds of weeds, but also to loosening the soil.

Pre-treatment of the soil begins two months before the planned planting.

The optimal time for planting is October and March , so it is important to carry out this treatment in August or January, respectively. The most convenient time for planting is the autumn season, since in January the soil in the garden is usually frozen.

To fertilize the soil, you need to dig a small hole in the ground about half a meter wide and deep and the desired length (depending on the number of bushes for future planting with a distance between them of 1 to 1.5 m).

Organic matter, potash fertilizers and fertile soil are placed in the recess. The soil enriched with nutrients is left in a loose state, without compaction.

Selection and preparation of planting material

To plant Candy gooseberries, it is advisable to purchase young bushes from a qualified berry nursery. It is worth ordering planting material approximately two years before the start of planting the berry garden. Annual or biennial shrubs are usually planted.

It is recommended to choose plants with a developed root system and 2-3 above-ground shoots. After purchasing a bush, during the entire transportation time, the roots of the plant should be wrapped in damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.

Important! If, after purchasing a seedling, you need to wait a few days before planting, it is advisable to temporarily sprinkle the gooseberry root system with moist soil.

Planting scheme

In a previously fertilized area, planting holes are dug, which, if several shrubs are planted, should be spaced apart from each other by approximately 1–1.5 m. If several rows of plants are laid side by side, the distance between them should be at least 1.5 m. The interval depends on the method of cultivation and harvesting.

On large industrial plantations, where mechanical harvesting of fruits is usually carried out, the following distance between plants is assumed:

• on poor soils 3.5 m (between rows) × 0.5–0.6 (in a row);
• on fertile soils 4.0 m (between rows) × 0.5–0.6 m (in a row).

For his own use, it is enough for a gardener to have 5–6 gooseberry bushes on his plot. Planting holes should have a depth and width no less than the depth and width of the root of a particular bush, with an additional gap of about 10 cm for further development of the root system.

The shrub is planted to a depth 5 cm greater than it grew in the nursery. Before placing the seedlings in the hole, all damaged or diseased roots are cut off, and after planting, a cut is made of the above-ground part - above the first eye, counting from the surface of the earth.

The most common arrangement of gooseberry rows is from north to south. If the site for planting shrubs is well protected from the wind, you can choose the east-west direction.

Find out in more detail what distance is recommended to be kept between the bushes and rows of gooseberries.

Choosing a place for a seedling

In order for the Candy gooseberry to bear fruit in the same way as in the photo, it must be planted in a suitable place

There are a number of factors to consider, including:

• soil composition;
• illumination;
• proximity to groundwater;
• presence of persistent pests.

Another important condition for the growth of gooseberries is the presence of groundwater at a depth of about 75-90 cm. If the soil moisture is higher, the root will begin to rot and the plant will die

It is worth noting that the main root mass of the shrub is located at a depth of up to 30 cm, so if there is a lack of precipitation, the gardener is required to regularly irrigate the plant and apply fertilizers.

If you want to start planting in the spring, do it before the buds swell. The soil should warm up well. And if planting is scheduled for autumn, then plant 1.5 months before frost, so that the roots have time to grow and adapt to the new place.

The proposed location should be inaccessible to the north, piercing wind. Gooseberries love light. If you plant “Candy” in the shade, the harvest will be small. It can grow on loamy, sandy and clayey soils. Wet places are not suitable for it, otherwise the root collar will rot and the bush will die. 2 weeks before planting, dig up the area well and remove weeds and old rhizomes from previous plantings.

Landing

1. Make a planting hole measuring 50x50 cm.
2. Mix 100 g of ash, 50 g of superphosphate, 40 g of potassium sulfate with the excavated soil.
3. Remove all damaged and dried shoots from the root of the seedling. Experienced gardeners advise leaving the roots in a sodium humate solution for a day. (3 spoons / 5 liters of water)
4. Trim the tops of the branches and leave 5 buds on each shoot.
5. Distribute the root evenly over the hole, fill it and compact it. The root collar should be 2 cm below the soil level.
6. Water the bush and mulch it with peat 3–4 cm high.
7. Maintain a distance of 1.5 m between seedlings.

Caring procedures will extend the life of the plant. And the fruits will respond with gratitude in the form of a sweet and pleasant sour taste.

• In order to prevent diseases and pests at a time when the snow has not yet completely melted, spray boiling water on the bush.
• In May, loosen the soil around the bush by 7 cm and then loosen it every month. From mid-August to mid-September it should be stopped.
• In May, for intensive development of shoots, feed the bushes with fermented manure diluted with water. And also nitrogen or potassium.
• In summer and spring, water the gooseberries with warm, settled water. For a good wintering, water the bushes generously in October.
• Remove all weeds around the bush.
• Overhanging branches can be raised using supports, netting or rope.
• Don't forget to prune in the fall.

Trimming

Remember that gooseberries begin to awaken early. Spring pruning should be done before sap flow begins. Next, remove weak, damaged and dry branches. Trim frozen branch ends back to healthy parts. Root shoots can also be removed.

Remove branches that are more than 7 years old to the roots. Basically, they are dark, almost black. After such procedures, new shoots will quickly replace the old ones. It is recommended to remove shoots that have grown strongly to the sides. Form the bush in such a way that there are at least 11 to 15 shoots left on it.

Features of seasonal care

The gooseberry culture requires from the gardener, like other berry bushes, regular care, which consists of monitoring soil moisture, controlling weeds, diseases and pests, and regularly pruning branches. Failure to follow the rules of crop care may result in disease outbreaks or a drop in yield.

Soil care

The main care for berry bushes is systematic and thorough weeding under the bushes. It is best to do this mechanically, using a hoe or a flat cutter, because in this case the gardener not only gets rid of unwanted plants, but also additionally loosens the soil, saturating it with oxygen.

If necessary, herbicides can be used to kill weeds, but in small areas this is usually not necessary.

Mulching will help reduce the frequency of weeding, or even do without this work. Covering the soil under the bushes with crushed peat or straw will help not only eliminate the need for weeding, but also protect the soil from excessive loss of water and enrich it with minerals and organic matter.

Another material that works well for mulching is the bark or sawdust of hardwood trees. When choosing mulch, you should choose materials that are readily available and cheap.

Important! Periodically, the layer of organic materials that act as mulch must be replenished, since organic matter tends to decompose over time. In this case, weeds can make their way to the surface through the thinning layer of straw or sawdust.

It should be noted here that soils rich in humus on sufficiently moist ridges do not require mulching in order to enrich the soil. The only purpose of using mulch in this case will be to slow down the growth of weeds.

Preventative treatment

To prevent the development of diseases, gardeners carry out preventive treatments of shrubs. To do this, you can use both chemicals and infusions according to folk recipes.

Homemade medicinal mixtures usually use plant components that have antibacterial and antifungal properties, such as garlic, hot pepper, and wormwood.

The first treatment of gooseberries is usually carried out even before the buds swell; the timing of all subsequent treatments is guided by the beginning and end of flowering of the crop.

To prevent pest attacks on gooseberries and the development of diseases, preventive measures play an important role, such as collecting and removing fallen leaves from the garden, on which pests, their larvae or fungal spores can overwinter.

Find out how to spray gooseberries against diseases and pests in the spring.

Dried berries, which serve as a winter refuge for insects and a breeding ground for mushrooms, should not be left to overwinter on bushes.

Feeding

The soil under the berry bush should be provided with essential minerals such as potassium, nitrogen and magnesium. Fertilizer use will depend on the time of year. In addition to mineral fertilizers, fertilizers include manure or compost.

In the fall, gooseberries are fertilized with potassium, the dose of which should not exceed 10 kg per hectare of land. If manure is chosen for feeding, then it is also scattered under the plants in a dose of 500 kg per 10 m².

Potassium fertilizers are used only in spring. Cattle manure can be replaced with compost, but then the amount of organic matter should not exceed 300 kg per 10 m².

Adding magnesium to gooseberries requires the gardener to be careful, because an excess of this element is harmful to the crop. The use of fertilizers that contain it is justified only in cases of its deficiency, which is best confirmed by an analysis of the chemical composition of the soil. Nitrogen fertilizers are also applied in early spring, before the gooseberries enter the growing season.

Read more about how to fertilize gooseberries and in what ways.

Support

Several gooseberry bushes are usually grown in a row. This method involves installing wire support along rows of shrubs and tying fruiting branches to it.

Trimming

In order for the gooseberry to bear fruit annually, the bush must be formed and cleared of old branches and young unnecessary growth. The gardener carries out the first pruning immediately after planting the plants. In all subsequent years, old unproductive shoots are removed to make room for new fruit-bearing branches.

All dry shoots are cut off right at the ground, and any uneven branches growing inside the bush that interfere with the proper formation of the gooseberry are also removed. It is best to prune in the spring.

In the second and third years after planting gooseberries, mainly formative pruning is carried out; 4 young shoots are left on the plant, which must be shortened by 3⁄4 of the length, and two or three lateral branches on each of them.

Only after the gooseberry has entered intensive fruiting, in the fourth or fifth year after planting, does systematic pruning of the annual growth begin, carried out after harvesting.

On an adult bush, only 8 of the strongest young shoots should be present, the length of which is shortened by half, and all other branches are cut off above the first bud. The gardener should take care every year to ensure that young shoots replace old branches.

We recommend learning how to care for gooseberries in the spring season.

Harvesting and storage

Candy is harvested from late July to August. To protect the berries from damage by birds, the bushes must be protected with special nets or spunbond. Safety netting can be purchased at a garden center. It is laid out on a gooseberry bush, pressing the edges of the protective sheet to the ground with stones. This will allow you to grow tasty and sweet berries that are not damaged by birds.

The ripe fruit is torn from the branch with two fingers (index and thumb) so as not to damage the stalk. With this method of removal, the gooseberry remains intact and is better stored.

Top - 11. Gooseberry varieties photo with name and description.

Gooseberries have been loved by summer residents since ancient times, as one of the most delicious and healthy berries. People began to select gooseberries in the 20th century. It was at that time that new, more productive, and popular varieties of this berry began to appear. There is a huge variety of gooseberry varieties, and in order to choose the best gooseberry for yourself, we provide photo gooseberry varieties with name and description.

Breeders, first of all, paid attention to large-fruited varieties. Thanks to numerous experiments, they managed to create varieties with high cold resistance, productivity, and resistance to powdery mildew. And also gooseberries without thorns. Currently, varieties of green, red, black and yellow gooseberries are popular among gardeners. Each of them differs in taste, yield, berry size, ripening and storage time. Here are the most common varieties of gooseberries, which have been in demand and popular among gardeners for many years.

Reproduction methods

Gooseberries can be propagated through horizontal and vertical layering, as well as by rooting herbaceous seedlings and grafting onto a rootstock.

Read more about gooseberry propagation methods, their advantages and disadvantages.

Gooseberry propagation:

1. Horizontal layering - in early spring (early March), the shoots bend from the bush to the ground and are placed in grooves 10 cm deep, located next to the gooseberries. To keep the branch in the “lying” position, it is attached to the soil with a metal pin. Then the horizontal layering is covered with a layer of soil. After some time, new shoots sprout from the buds of the branches lying in the ground, gradually take root and become independent plants. Horizontal layering should be regularly sprinkled with an additional mixture of soil, peat and sawdust. In autumn, after rooting, young plants are cut off from the mother branch and planted in a prepared place.

2. Vertical layers - this method is simpler than propagation by horizontal branches. The base of the bush is covered with a mixture of earth, peat and sawdust, down to the young shoots located in the very bottom of the plant. Soon, the non-lignified shoots take root and can be separated from the mother bush.

3. Herbaceous seedlings - this method of propagation requires cutting herbaceous cuttings with several leaves from the tops of shoots. Cuttings are carried out in late spring or summer. Sections of branches are planted in a soil mixture consisting of peat or clean sand to a depth of about 2 cm. The temperature of the soil substrate should be +23...+25°C. It is also necessary to create a warm, humid atmosphere and diffused lighting in the nursery. To do this, the school can be covered with foil or agrofibre. The most successful plants from cuttings are obtained when grown in foil shelters or greenhouses with shading, heating and artificial fog.

4. Vaccinations - gooseberries are grafted onto the root shoots of white currants, as they have powerful growth power. Vaccination is carried out at a height of 90–120 cm above the ground surface. Cuttings from the mother gooseberry for future grafting are cut at the beginning of winter and stored in the basement or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator until work begins. Typically, vaccination is carried out in a lateral incision of the bark; the optimal time for vaccination is August.

   
   In the spring, the operation can be carried out “in a split,” when the gooseberry stalk is tightly inserted into the gap that the gardener creates at the place where the currant branch is cut. The grafting site is lubricated with garden varnish and covered with foil to protect the wood from drying out. When the gooseberry stalk begins to grow and forms new leaves, the cover from the grafting site is removed.